After the Fall of Angels
by Past and Future
Summary: [AU; Dark Fic; J/K] Co-Authored by Rocker Baby & Phoe-chan. If you died and were offered a second chance, would you take it? At any cost? What about the consequences that came with the gift of resurrection? Well, Jak Hallowell took that second chance.
1. Chapter I: Mephistopheles

A/N: RB: Sig! Is that film rolling or not!? 

**Sig**: YES. SHUT UP WOMAN!

**RB**: Are we writing the first AU in the J&D section?

**PC**: I think so...unless you count talk-shows, it's the first ACTUAL AU!

**RB**: O_O *throws confetti in teh air*

**PC**: *tosses RB a swivel chair* this calls for a spin-around! *spins, until very dizzy*

**RB**: YEEEES! *spiiiiiins* *falls to teh ground* Errr...

**PC**: Y0, Sig, Jak. Little help here? *stumbles around*

**Sig:** I'm not helping you two; I have the camera.

**Jak**: *Sighs; picks them up and sits them on the couch* Enjoy the fic. They sure had fun writing it. *glares*

**RB&PC:** *grin innocently*

**The Disclaimer:** _ We dun own Jak or Dax or any of dat... Well, maybe teh plot and Deliri but THAT'S IT!

***~*~***

After the Fall of Angels 

by **Past and Future** (AKA Phoe-chan and Rocker Baby, respectively)

Chapter I: Mephistopheles 

*~*~*

_"See it rising_

_Stare in wonder_

_hear it beckon_

_you to dance_

_Feel it hold you_

_take you under_

_I'm your god of second chance..."_

*~*~*

Do you know what it's like to die? To leave your body and actually look at it? As a soul? 

I do. You see, on a cold, winter day...

I died...

*~*~*

London, England 1810 

Jak Hallowell sighed and gave his younger sister, Wren, a tight embrace. She wiped tears from her and eyes and looked up at her brother sadly. They were standing on the fourth platform of the train station. 

"You promise you'll come home for the holidays, right?" she asked, sniffing. Jak smiled at her and nodded. 

"Yes, Wren, I promise I'll come home for the holidays. Now don't worry, all right?" Wren looked a little trite, crossed her arms, and stuck her nose in the air. Jak rolled his eyes and stooped down, holding her by the shoulders. "Don't give me the silent treatment. I'm about to go off to school and this is how you treat me?" he said, feigning hurt rather well. Wren opened one eye and looked at her brother. Now she felt a little guilty.

"But you never keep your promises!" she whined. Jak sighed and ran a hand through his short, dirty blonde hair.

"Look, if I don't make it home for Christmas, you can hate me forever. You don't have to give me my Christmas present, okay? You can give it back and use the money for a doll." Wren raised an un-amused eyebrow.

"I'm twelve, Jak. I don't like dolls anymore," she deadpanned. Jak laughed nervously, feeling like a shoddy big brother. 

"Err.. right then. Then you can use the money to buy whatever it is you like."

"Really?"

"Of course." A smile spread across Wren's face and she hugged her big brother tightly. 

"Okay then! I'll see you at Christmas time, then, right?" Jak nodded and placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead. The train gave a loud whistle of steam, signaling for him to get on board soon. Jak and Wren's mother, a spidery looking woman by the name of Amelia, walked on to the platform. 

"Are you done, Wren? It's getting cold and I'm tired of waiting for you," she said impatiently. She kissed Jak stiffly on the cheek. "Do good at school, honey. Come along, Wren." Jak frowned after his mother, knowing her never to be a very loving woman. Wren prepared to follow her mother, then turn to Jak and waved.

"Bye Jak!" Jak couldn't help but smile at the young girl and he waved back.

"Bye Wren! I'll see you at Christmas!" And with that, Jak Hallowel stepped onto the train headed toward Oxford University of Law.

*~*~*

Jak sighed as he looked out the window of the train car he sat in.  Trees, buildings and carriages passed by him in a swirl of monochrome colors. Everything was dead, colorless. Winter had set in and taken its toll on Britain, making people scurry for warmth and security.  Jak hugged his overcoat tighter and ignored the wisps of foggy breath that escaped his mouth. Now, he had wished he took that extra blanket his sister wanted him to take.

At the thought of the young girl, a small smile flitted across his features.  He was keeping his promise just like he said he would. No more boring classes at the university or essays five thousand words long. He could be home for Christmas and enjoy time with his family in London.

Jak placed his hands on his briefcase, tapping the gloved fingers on the leather casing idly.  He was anxious; glad have gotten away from the university.  Being a lawyer took a lot of stressful concentration and many, many lectures. He was exhausted, yet wired at the same time. _'Why do I feel like something big is about to happen?'_

Jak looked across the aisle to a young woman who sat staring straight ahead.  A forlorn look marred her pretty features as if she knew something dark and dreadful was going to happen.  She then turned her head to the side, pale gray eyes boring into his. Jak's brow furrowed as he stared back at her. "Excuse me, Madam.  Why do you stare at me so?"

She tilted her head before replying, "Are you ready, Jak?"

"Ready for what, Madam? How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"I am your angel of death, Jak. Are you ready to die?"

Jak sat up straighter, a feeling of dread washing over him. The entire car seemed to get colder, causing Jak to shiver a little.

"What in the world are you talking about? I doubt I'm about to die any time soon, madam." She hung her head, gazing down at her hands. Jak sat up bolt straight, feeling immensely apprehensive toward the woman.

"It does not matter what you think, because in a moment you will understand everything, Jak," she said softly. Jak glared at her, his eyes blazing. 

"I think it's best you tell me right now, or I'm going to call security," he snapped. She looked up from her hands and into Jak's eyes. The dull gray suddenly became a fathomless black, like the night sky. All the anger in him suddenly washed away.

And then there was a loud explosion. Jak's eyes widened and he jumped to his feet. He ran to the door and opened it, just as an employee on the train ran by. Jak's hand shot out and he seized the man by the back of his coat. 

"W-what happened?" The employee, who didn't even look as old as Jak was, turn to him. His face was pretty pale.

"Thu-there's ju-just some trouble further up, sir. No need for alarm. Please, return to you cabin." Jak felt hesitant and then closed the door. He turned to face the young woman, only to meet an empty seat where she once was. The next moment was like a blur.

There was the loud sound of screeching, followed by the cabin shaking violently. Jak gave a shout as it flung him to the floor. Then the car tilted to the side, off the tracks, sending Jak into the door of the cabin. 

She couldn't really have been... No.

Jak cried out in pain as the car crashed down the side of the tracks, windows shattering and objects crashing around him.  His scream was cut short when he felt a thick liquid fill his lungs, causing him to choke and spit up the fluid.

Blood. 

Wide-eyed, Jak managed to look down to see a large piece of shrapnel lodged in his chest, piercing his right lung. _'Oh, God.  I am going to die.'_

Jak slumped, his body going limp as the life drained out of him just like the blood seeping from his wound and trickling out of his mouth.  His breath became shallow as the pain turned into a dull numbing sensation.  His eyes drifted out of focus as he voiced his last thoughts in the cabin that was now his grave.

"I'm...sorry, Wren..."

Eyes glazed over, Jak's last breath exited his body and his soul was released.

Jak was dead.

*~*~*

"Jak? Jak, darling, I'm sorry, but it's time to go," whispered a very gentle voice. Slowly, Jak's eyes opened and he groaned a little. Standing above him was that woman again, smiling at him sadly. She extended a hand to help him up and Jak gladly took it. As he was pulled up, he noticed a crumpled figure next to him. To his horror, he realized it was himself, lifeless, snow dusting his black jacket. Blood was pooling beneath his prone body, coming from a deep wound in his heart. Jak couldn't tear his eyes away from his own body. This wasn't really happening. It was a bad dream! It had to be.

"What... what happened?" he whispered hoarsely. His throat was constricting.

"You died, Jak," she said mournfully. Tears soon sprang to Jak's eyes.

"No... NO!" he shouted. His angel of death looked surprised at Jak's outburst, but quickly took on a matronly look. She gently grasped Jak's hand, trying her best to comfort him. He pulled his hand away from her, eyes wild. "Don't touch me! You knew this would happen! Why didn't you try to help me!?" She sighed a little.

"Even if I was allowed to help you, there was nothing I could do. I am only allowed to carry people into the next life, not to prevent people from dying," she explained calmly. Jak stepped away from her, but she just grabbed his arm. "I have to take you, even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming." Jak struggled against her grip, but it was like an iron clamp. 

"NO! I don't want to die! Anything but that!" he screamed hysterically. Her gray eyes grew wide at his words. Suddenly, a soft, menacing laughter drifted through the air.

"Let him go, Death. He could always go with me," the voice whispered, sounding like it was coming from all sides.

"Who's there?" Jak cried out, trembling.  He was beyond scared. He was dead, the angel of death was trying to take him to the next life and here was a whispering voice who wanted who knew what.  Death held tighter to Jak's arm. "Do not listen, Jak.  He is no friend of yours."

"Bah. I can give you back your life, Jak." The chilling voice offered.

"Y-You can give me my life back?" Jak inquired, eyes wide. He stepped forward only to have the woman known as Death pull back. "Do not listen, boy! He only offers you a life of neither living nor dead. Come with me to the other side, now!"

The voice laughed again. "Is that what you tell the fresh catch these days? Come, Jak. Do you not want your body back? I can give you so much more than what you had before.  For such a small price..."

"I don't want to die!" Jak cried out, his accented voice echoing out. "I want my body back, please! Don't make me go!"

"Let him go death. You know the rules.  If they wish to speak to me, they can."

"No, this one cannot go with you."  The woman kept pulling Jak towards a now growing white light.  Jak struggled fiercely against her vice-like grip. "Let go, I say! I am not ready to die, woman!"

Suddenly he was jerked out of her hold by a dark force, pulling him back into the shadows.  Jak's eyes widened as he gave a yelp.  He seemed to be falling.  Death ran to the edge and looked down, yelling for him to be let go.  But he was too far down, too deep within the darkness to be brought back.

"No!!" Jak cried out.

And then the darkness cleared away enough for Jak to realize he was laying on a marble floor. Jak picked himself up from the floor, trembling badly. Slowly, he stood and looked around. He was standing on a balcony made out of marble and in front of him sprawled a barren land that reeked of many awful things, but prominently the smell of blood. The sky was as red as blood. The air was horribly still, making the smell only worse. Mountains jutted from the earth. He could see things flying around them. As he looked closer, he was horrified to see that it was monsters of all sizes, flying around. They were sticking hot coals on naked, writhing human bodies, chained to the mountains. Jak stepped back, wanting to be very far away from this place very soon. 

"What do you think of my most humble abode?" An ominous voice asked behind him. Jak turned to see a man sitting on a throne covered in a white sheet that's edges were stained red. The man was beautiful, really. Pale skin, light blue eyes and long metallic white hair tied back in a pony tail. From his back were two dirty, blood stained, white wings. But he was still very beautiful. 

"Wh-where am I?" Jak whispered, voice shaking. A smile spread across his face and he stood from his throne. He approached Jak and looked him in the eyes.

"Where do you think you are?" he asked simply. The realization crashed into Jak like a ton of bricks. He slowly sank to his knees.  

"I-I'm in Hell?" The man nodded, a haughty smile playing across his face. "And you're... you're the Devil?" The smile faded from the man's face a little and he snorted.

"You humans. Always giving me the oddest of names. No, I am not a devil. They are my lackeys. I am Lucifer, but you may call me Praxis, boy," Praxis said, a smile gracing his face once more.

"But... someone said they could bring me back!" Jak cried. Praxis laughed. It was a cold, numb sound- no real humor in it. Jak doubted the winged creature in front of his had laughed in a very long time. 

"Yes, someone did. _I_ did."

Jak's face contorted into a scared, yet confused look. "Then why am I in hell?! You lied to me! Where is the lady? I wish to go with her than be in this wretched place!"

His tantrum was cut short when the man held up a hand, immediately silencing him.  "I did not lie.  You may have your precious life back.  However, I must be given something in return.

"What do you want? I will give you anything! Money, possessions, you name it and I'll find it!" Jak cried out, falling to his knees, clasping his hands in a prayer-like manner, begging Praxis.

"Anything?"

"Yes!"

"Very well then.  For your life, I want two souls."

"I'll do it! Tell me whose souls!"

The man smiled a very chilling smile, sending shivers down Jak's spine. "For the price of your life, you must give me the soul of the first woman you fall in love with...as well as your own."

Jak's trembling stopped as he stared at the eerily beautiful man before him. "M-mine?"

"Yes.  However, with your new life, you shall be given glorious power, Jak. You will be more than any mere mortal.  And all I'm asking is for your soul and the soul of the first woman you fall in love with.  I do believe you're getting the better end of the deal, my dear boy."

Jak's expression contorted as he thought hard.  He could live...but as what? With his soul in the possession of Lucifer himself, would he even be himself anymore?  However, the promise of life after it has been taken away can make any man agree to the most sinful of offers.

"I'll do it."

A positively elated look crossed Praxis' face and he smiled eerily at Jak. He placed a hand on Jak's shoulder, sending a frigidly cold feeling all through his body. Then, mercifully (if Satan could have any mercy) he released Jak's shoulder. Praxis clapped twice. There was a pause before a horrid thing appeared in the doorway of the balcony.

It appeared to be a woman who was completely nude. Half of her body was beautiful- perfectly tanned skin, full, red lips, and flowing brown hair. But the other half was a nightmare. Her face looked like someone had torn the skin off her skull, leaving only what was beneath it behind. In fact, her entire left half of her body was like that- without any skin at all. Jak couldn't tear his eyes off her, morbidly intrigued with the woman. 

"Nefretali, bring my guest a contract, darling." Nefretali bowed respectfully. She spoke, but it came out a halfway garbled mess of words. Jak could vaguely make out "yes, my lord." With that, she left the balcony, leaving Jak with a feeling of terror in the deepest parts of his soul. A few moments later, she appeared holding a scroll of paper and a dagger. She unfolded the paper, which was blank, and left it floating in the middle of the air. Praxis smiled compassionately at her, causing her beautiful side to blush slightly. She bowed once more, then walked off the balcony, through the door she came from. 

Praxis seized Jak's hand suddenly, grabbed the dagger, and slashed the flesh of his palm wide open. Jak cried out in pain, holding his now bleeding hand tentatively. Praxis smiled a little coldly at him, then took Jak's hand and let the blood flow onto the paper scroll. The minute it touched the paper, words, in a language Jak did not know appeared, followed by Jak's signature. 

"It is finished. You belong to me now," Praxis said. And then things went black once more.

*~*~*

Jak stirred, eyes opening to a heavy-lidded gaze.  His body felt stiff, sore...as if rigor mortis had set in. He turned his head and was startled as a pile of snow cascaded off, landing on his chest.

His chest.

No shrapnel...

Just his chest.  

He sat up, wincing as he felt a cold blast of wind smack him in the face.  Pulling open his heavy overcoat and the shirts underneath, he stared at the scar on his chest.

He was alive.  Again.  Alive!

Jak stood up, massaging his temples.  _'It wasn't a dream...I really died! But, I was brought back to life...' _ 

He stumbled down the hill, ignoring the fallen train, as well as the small fires surrounding the cars.  It looked like the train had exploded. 

And then, something strange happened...

He began to laugh.

Tilting his head back and throwing his arms out, Jak laughed to the high heavens. "I am alive! I have cheated death and I live!"

He ended his statement with almost maniacal laughter.

Finally lowering his eyes to the wrecked train, Jak began to walk through the ruins, stumbling over the heavy snow and parts of the train.  No signs of life could be seen other than the sole man making his way through the wreckage.  

Suddenly, Jak tripped, landing hard on his hands and knees in a patch of shattered glass.  Jak gave a yelp as he recoiled and cradled his hand, which had been sliced open upon hitting the glass.

Plucking the glass from his hand, Jak stared as the blood immediately quit flowing and the wound healed rapidly, leaving not one trace of a scar.

"What sort of trickery is this?" Jak murmured out loud, shaking in wonder.  He raised his eyes to a shattered mirror a small distance away.  It had fallen out of the train car and now his reflection stared back at him.

Jak's eyes widened as he stared at his image, barely recognizable, reflecting back at him. 

Panic overwhelmed him as he stumbled to his feet, clambering to the mirror. "What is this?! What is happening to me?!"

By the time he reached the broken mirror, he observed his skin now white, his eyes soullessly black without any iris.  His ears had grown points and horns spiraled up from his head.  His hands were clawed and his hair was completely ghostly white.

Jak looked down at his body, eyes widening in fear.  However, his skin was still creamy and pale, not the ghastly white that it appeared in his reflection. He felt his head. No horns.  

"What is this?!"

Jak suddenly yelped and lurched forward as pain sprung from all parts of his body.  He stared down at his hands as they grew long black claws. "NO!" 

He was turning into that demon in the mirror.

And then, he remembered Praxis' words.  _"Your soul... You belong to me now."_

_'No! I'm a monster!'_ Jak then jerked his head back, screaming into the night upon realization of what he had become.

"'EY! Will you quit your bloody screaming? You're giving me a headache!"

Jak whirled around, eyes wide and feral at the voice. There, stood before him another man, small in stature, with a heavy maroon overcoat on. Locks of dark red, wavy hair covered his head and partially hid his beady black eyes. He looked about him before adding, "Why the hell are you changing out here? Someone could see you, if there are any other survivors."

Jak stared at him. "What am I? What have I become?"

The man arched a brow. "You don't know? You look like a demon to me. Of what type, I'm not sure. Why not tell me what happened."

Jak began talking rapidly, his words coming out so quickly the other man could barely understand him. "I died...but then...this man, no, Satan gave me back my life for the soul of the woman I fall in love with as well as mine and then I was alive again! But I cut my hand! And it healed just like that! Then, I saw my reflection, it was hideous! And I started changing..." 

Out of what seemed like nowhere, a young girl's head popped out from behind the man. She had wild, multi-colored hair and mismatched eyes. One was sunflower yellow and the other was an ugly, vein blue. She looked a little like the man in front of him in facial structure. She let out a small, airy giggle and stepped out from behind him.

"You're a... a... a... Oh, what is he? I can't remember. I always forget things..." she trailed off, not even looking at Jak anymore. The man patted her head and turned to look at Jak once more. 

"You gave your soul, and another's, up to Praxis so you could live again. _This_ makes you a demi-demon... which is unfortunate for you." Jak looked at him, confused. He slowly stood to his feet, realizing he was much taller than him. 

"A what?" The man looked a little annoyed and stuck his hands in his pockets. Behind him, the young girl was created multi-colored flying fish without a care in the world. 

"A demi-demon. A human who gave his soul to Praxis and got demonic powers from it. It's not that hard to understand," he explained casually. "Now calm down or someone's going to see you all changed like that and believe you me, it won't be pretty if they do." Jak looked at him warily and took a few deep breaths. A warmth passed through his body. He glanced at his hand to see it returning to normal. A small smile spread across Jak's face and he looked back up at the man, who smiled a lopsided smile. He pulled a hand from his coat and extended it to Jak. "My name is Daxter. The girl is my little sister Deliri. We're demons." Jak raised an eyebrow. 

"You don't look like demons," he pointed out. Daxter shrugged slightly. 

"We're like you. We hide our true selves. It makes it easier to walk among humans... As long as they don't see your reflection. Then it gets complicated." Jak looked at Daxter oddly for a moment, then turned to look in the broken mirror. Where Daxter stood was a thin, black creature with bright red eyes and what looked like veins of lava running across his body and his hair stood up in what seemed to be flames. In the snow next to him sat Deliri, only she had blue skin and a pair of gold antennas. On her back were a pair of black wings, only they looked like they had been broken a long time ago and never healed. Jak turned his gaze back to Daxter, bewildered. Daxter smirked haughtily. "Told ya." 

"Deliri doesn't look very different." Daxter's smiled faded and he looked at his sister's reflection.

"She's the demon of insanity." Daxter turned his head to Deliri, who had changed her hair color from curly and multi colored to spiky and red. "Come on Deliri. We're leaving." Deliri jumped to her feet, a silly smile on her face. She bounded over to Jak and Daxter and smiled, tilting back and forth on her heels. Jak realized she was barefoot in the snow.

"You said it was unfortunate for me. Why?" Jak inquired, turning his head to Daxter.  

The other man sighed, raking a hand through his choppy red locks before smoothing out his coat, which Jak noted was ripped, as if the man had been wounded. "Demi-demons are looked down upon by the demon society. Many demons think humans with demonic powers are a disgrace. You're going to constantly be challenged, attacked or shunned because of your 'status'."

"Why aren't you attacking me then?" Jak questioned, confronting Daxter.  The latter gave a small smile. "Because I know how it can feel to be an outcast. Deliri is a type of demon who can't take care of herself, and most demons find her an easy target. Fortunately, we hide well since I'm not all that powerful. 'Sides, you seem like a nice fellow who could use a friend who knows what's going on. What do you say, son?"

"Sounds good to me. My name is Jak. Jak Hallowell, and by the way, I doubt I'm younger than you, my good man."

Daxter grinned. "I'm over 3000 years old, Jak.  Demons do not age."

Jak's eyes widened. "You mean... I live forever?"

"Of course. How do you think we survived that wreck? Did you not read the contract you signed?"

"It was in another language..."

"Oh, yes. My apologies," Daxter chuckled. Turning his head, he caught sight of Deliri trailing behind. "Come along, Deliri, before you start coloring the snow!"

The girl giggled and bounded ahead, latching onto Daxter's hand.  Jak arched a brow and watched as the colorful footprints she left in the snow faded back to a crystal white. Deliri looked up and offered her hand.  Jak paused, an image of his sister running through his mind. Taking her hand, he joined the two in walking away from the wreckage... not of the living...nor of the dead.

End Chapter I

*~*~*

Lyrics from: _Beethoven's Last Night_

**A/N:** SIG! For god's sake, roll the film!

**Sig**: *sticks tongue out at her* BI-YOTCH!

**RB:** WHAT CHU SAY!?

**PC:** *grins* I have no socks on.

**Daxter:** *arches brow* That was completely and utterly random and pointless.

**PC:** I know. *still grinning*

**RB:** *grabs camera from Sig and points it at PC* I think that's the point of closing statements. Hey, Phoe, should we add pictures with every chapter like my story?

**PC**: *bounces* Yeah! As long as someone doesn't hid the scanner like last time. *glares at Jak*

**Jak**: *huffs* You two were trying to draw me after I got out of the shower; IN A TOWEL!

**RB**: _ Errr... would you believe me if I said it was a project on human anatomy for school?

**Jak:** NO. You aren't even IN school yet, dammit. *RB pouts a lot*

**PC**: Oh! You think that's bad? You should see the shrine she has made to you in her rooMPH! *RB covers PC's mouth*

**RB:** Now would be a good time for you to review.

**Jak:** No, WAIT! TELL ME!

**RB&PC:** REVIEW!!!

~Past and Future ("Life is but a dream!")


	2. Chapter II: Who Needs Sleep?

**AN:** *grabs Sig* GET THE VIDEO CAMERA!

**Sig:** *groans* Get Torn or someone to do the damned video camera

**RB:** *kicks him* NOW!

**Sig:** *holds his leg* Ow, ow! Fine! *mumble mumble* Bitch. *he gets the camera and turns it on, pointing it toward the girls*

**RB:** WELCOME TO CHAPTER II OF OUR FIIIIC! *dances around joyously*

**PC:** *sweatdrop* Took us long enough to get it up.

**RB:** (achuwie, now DeusExDream ): that's cause we were out of film!

**PC:** Yeah, well...uh...Disclaimer?

**Jak:** *dully* They don't own jack shit. Just the plot.

**PC:** -_-;; Thanks.

**DED (previously RB):** *kicks Jak in the head*

***~*~***

After the Fall of Angels 

by **Past and Future** (AKA Phoe-chan and DeusExDream, respectively)

Chapter II: _Who Needs Sleep?_

*~*~*

_Who needs sleep?_

_Well, you're never gonna get it._

_Who needs sleep?_

_Tell me what's that for?_

_Who needs sleep?_

_Be happy with what you're getting,_

_There's guys been awake since the second world war._

*~*~*

London, 1999

Jak Hallowell sighed and rolled over, half asleep.  He laid in his bed on the tenth floor of a studio apartment complex in the heart of London.  Granted, he didn't need sleep, for demons do not need such trifle things as humans do, but he wanted a nap.  200 years without sleep can really rack up on a person's nervous system.  However, it seemed Fate was not agreeing with him today.

Just as Jak was drifting into a somewhat peaceful sleep, there was a crash.

Check that. More like...the sound of one's door being slammed open.

'Oh, God...' Jak silently cursed, gritting his teeth.

"HONEY! I'M HO-OME!"

"GO AWAY, DAXTER! I'M TRYING TO BLOODY SLEEP!"

Daxter quirked a brow from his place standing in the threshold and dropped his bags. 

He approached Jak's bedroom door, only to have it swing open and smack him in the forehead. He gave a gurgled shout and dropped to the floor, holding his head. Jak looked down at his companion disdainfully, an eyebrow twitching.

"Don't you ever knock?" he asked darkly. A rather wolfish looking grin crossed Daxter's face and he stood. 

"Knocking is something that happens to other people!" Jak growled and sat down on his couch, rubbing his temples. He knew demons couldn't get headaches, but he had something that felt a lot like one. Daxter walked over to Jak's bar and pulled out a Jack Daniels. Jak looked at it oddly. He was pretty sure he didn't stick any Jack Daniels in there. "And besides- you don't need any sleep! Why, I didn't sleep for five hundred years after I became a demon!" 

In response to that, Jak gave the bottle of J.D. a nasty look and it shattered into pieces. Daxter yelped and dropped it in surprise. He then quickly looked back at Jak.

"I'm not cleaning that up." Jak growled evilly at his long time companion, then glanced around. 

"Daxter, where is Deliri?" he asked. Daxter's eyes bugged comically and he looked back and forth. Jak's eyes also bugged and he jumped to his feet, now fully awake. "Bloody hell! Daxter! You let the kid out of your sight for even a minute?" Daxter gave him a conflicted and angry look.

It was about that moment that Deliri skipped in, looking rather cheerful. Both gave a large sigh of relief. The first thing Jak did was look at Daxter questionably at Deliri's choice of clothes today- a fishnet long-sleeved shirt, fishnet stockings, and a white t-shirt WAY to big for the small girl.  Daxter looked into his younger sister's mismatched eyes. She just beamed up at him happily. 

"Where'd you go, Del? I told you to stay. By. Me." 

"I went downstairs!" she responded cheerfully. "And the lady downstairs has a meany dog, but I took care of him!" Jak and Daxter exchanged worried looks. 

"What did you do to Bruiser, Deliri?" Jak asked gently. He didn't want to upset the demon girl. The last time that happened, she burst into exactly a hundred and eleven tiny, colored fish and flew around Daxter's manor for four hours while he and Daxter tried to catch her. Deliri smiled cheerfully again and spun around on her toes happily.

"I gave him happy little... um... fluttery... thingy-ma-jiggers," she explained. As she spoke, her hair went curly and turned electric green. Jak and Daxter shared almost identical horrified looks. 

"WINGS?" Deliri bounced happily in the hair, clapping her hands in joy. 

"Yeah! Yeah! Them things! Now the doggie is all happy-joy-happy!" she cheered. Daxter sighed and hung his head and defeat.

Jak shook his head and mouthed "It's your fault." 

Daxter glared, but shrugged. "Just one more abnormality for the police to get baffled on."

Deliri bounced in the room, spinning in circles around Daxter. The latter looked up to his friend. "So what did you do while we were gone?"

Jak shrugged. "Brooded. Sulked. Watched some rugby on the telly. The usual."

Daxter rolled his eyes. "Man! You need to get out more. C'mon let's go clubbing tonight!"

"And leave your sister here unattended? I think not."

"I'll get someone to baby-sit her!"

"Like who?" Jak inquired, brow arched and arms folded.

"Um..." Daxter put a finger to his chin in thought. "Rune can take care of her!" he burst out suddenly, speaking of his girlfriend's demon cousin. Both were ice demons and were a little stronger than Daxter. Jak lifted an eyebrow. 

"Roe's cousin? Do you remember what happened last time? She froze Deliri in a block of ice!" Deliri immediately halted in her bouncing and looked up at Daxter.

"I don't like ice, Daxxie!" she whined. Daxter slapped his forehead and leered evilly at Jak. But Jak merely smiled as innocently as a demon could at his friend. "Don't make the meeeean lady freeze me again, Daxxie!" With a tug on his shirt sleeve, she looked at him imploringly. Daxter sighed. He really was weak under a girl's puppy dog eyes.

"It's not like I can let Roe baby-sit her," he muttered. "I guess you get to come, Deliri." Deliri's eyes got big with shock and a really goofy grin spread across her face. With a happy giggle, she burst into butterflies, then pulled herself back together. She then spun around and stared giggling and dancing, trailing the occasional fish. Jak looked at Daxter like he was absolutely and utterly out of his mind. But he decided not to voice his opinions because it was utterly pointless to try.

"So, oh most intelligent one," he began, sarcasm dripping from each word, "where do you intend to haul my most unfortunate carcass this evening?" Daxter glared at Jak, who just glared right back.

"Roe's got a friend who can get us invites to some really fancy shindig tonight."

Jak arched a brow.  "Oh, really?"

Daxter nodded, rubbing his hands together. "Her friend's singing at it or something so she can invite her own guests. She asked Roe to come and bring a few friends. The girl's new around here, I think, so she doesn't know that many people."

Meanwhile, Deliri had ambled into the kitchen and had found the silverware, pulling it out so she could play with it.  Daxter looked up to see the girl spinning around with silver utensils spiraling around her. "Deliri! Put the silverware down!"

Immediately the girl came to a halt and pouted while all the utensils fell to the floor with a crash.  Jak sighed, massaging his temples.  "So… How about telling me a bit more about this party…"

Daxter shrugged and meandered into the kitchen, picking up the fallen utensils. 

"There isn't much else to it. I think it's just some rich dude who owns a ballroom flaunting his money. I hear it's for charity, but I doubt that. It is, though, dressy." Jak stepped into the doorway of his kitchen and lifted an eyebrow. 

"So this means you actually have to dress like a civil person, Dax?" Daxter shot him a withering glare (and a middle finger). 

"Shut up, you stinkin' snob," Daxter muttered. Jak crossed his arms.

"How is it that you act so American, but you're a demon. Demons, and angels, don't have a nationality." Daxter would have spoken, if not for the fact that the fork in his hand turned into a brightly colored frog. "You know what? Never mind. You need to figure out a way to cover up our reflections that don't involve painful incantations." Daxter hissed at him and turned the frog back into a fork. 

"Deliri- what did I tell you about turning things into frogs?"

"Don't do it, especially if it's flowers or sharp things," Deliri recited with boredom. Daxter nodded and pat her head. "OH! We needa go home and I can get all dressy and it'll be cool cause I found these neat glitzy thingies a few years ago so I'd have something purdy to wear to a fancy place!" Deliri then took a breath from her run-on sentence and nearly began again before Daxter silenced her.

Daxter sighed and reached for his cell phone. "Let me make a few calls…"

*~*~*

Jak stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the jacket of his tuxedo.  It was kind of annoying because his eyes kept wandering back to his horns.  '_What if someone seems my reflection? How the bloody hell am I going to explain that? Daxter better think of something smart, this time…'_

Jak pursed his lips sourly at the last time Daxter had dragged him out of the house. It was almost two decades ago…

:: New York, 1982 ::

Jak sighed and followed his best friend through the crowded streets towards the club Daxter had conned Jak into coming to.  The fire demon turned and grinned a very condoning grin to his best friend.  "They say this is the funkiest dig in town, man!" 

Jak rolled his eyes, but followed his companion, who was dressed in bell-bottoms and a silver shirt.  Topping his outfit was a head full of slicked-back hair.

Jak, himself, had "pegged"* pants and a ruffled shirt, his own hair sticking straight up. The two blended in nicely with the crowd.  Just as Daxter and Jak stepped into the club, they were met with the smell of alcohol and smoke.

And a very _bad_ surprise.

"Daxter! The whole damned place is mirrored!" Jak hissed, staring at the many mirrored tiles, covering the ceiling, walls and floors.  Daxter gulped and stared at his reflection.  "Damn, this isn't good…"

:: :: ::

Jak shook his head, ridding himself of the memory.  They had been lucky that most of the people were too wasted to really notice.  Needless to say, Jak hadn't been clubbing since.

Sighing to himself, Jak fiddled with the high neck of his outfit, frowning.  Something was missing…

Oh, yeah. His hair.

Jak grabbed a comb and began to fix the mangled blonde tresses that fell about his head, giving him a very sexy, untamed appeal. Parting his hair, Jak pulled the long strands into a small ponytail at the base of his head, a few wisps falling out and into his face.  '_Good enough._' Jak mused.

Just then he heard a knock at the door. "Jak! Jak, it's me, Roe!"

Jak recognized the alto British voice as Roe's and walked out of his room to get the door. '_I guess everyone's meeting at my place…'_

Jak opened the door to see the ice demon standing there with a box.  "I have something for you to wear tonight, Jak."

Jak arched a brow and stepped back, letting Roe in.  She looked amazing in her outfit of a silver dress that clung nicely to her small frame. Her blonde and ice blue hair had been pulled back into a mess of curls and pretty clips and her violet eyes were accented with a set of rectangular framed glasses.  Roe was an ice demon and stayed with the cooler colors of the spectrum.  It was quite an odd pairing since Daxter was a fire demon, but the two had been dating for forty years.

Roe was an artist, and often nearly broke compared to Daxter's sum of money saved over the past three millennia, however she had connections.  

She stood in front of Jak's mirror, which reflected her true self, pale blue skin, white hair and icy spikes jutting out from her shoulder blades and upper back. Reaching in the box, she slipped on a silver amulet with a pearly stone and immediately, her reflection was human.  "There are three amulets just like it, the golden one with the onyx is for you, Jak."

Jak fished around in the box for the specific amulet. Finding it, he slipped it on and tucked it under his shirt.  Turning to his now human reflection, he grinned darkly. "Roe, I owe you one."

"You sure do," Roe mumbled, and waltzed out, smirking. Jak rolled his eyes and gave his human reflection a final glance, then followed her. 

In his living room was Daxter, leaned against the wall, smirking at his girlfriend. He then wrapped his arms around her waist and placed an affectionate kiss in the hollow of her neck. Roe giggled softly and kissed him. Jak nearly gagged. 

"Get a room," he muttered, too quiet for Daxter and Roe to hear. 

"Lookin' sharp, Jak!" Daxter said. Jak nodded his thanks and looked at Daxter's clothes. Daxter himself wasn't in a tux, but more along the lines of a suit. It was black pants with a dark, wine red shirt. Over that was a black blazer. Daxter never wore ties because he claimed that it gave him bad memories of when they tried to hang him during the Spanish Inquisition. Jak looked around for a moment.

"Oh god, where's Deliri?" he asked, fearing she was giving the dog downstairs some other unneeded pieces of anatomy. 

"I'M RIGHT HEEEEERE!" screeched the girl's voice. Everyone turned to the door leading to the bathroom to see Deliri standing there. Jak stared at her choice of formal attire. She wore her usual fishnet shirt and stockings, but she also wore a big, pink ballet skirt and a black, sequined shirt... And combat boots. Her hair lead to the floor and was bright red... And only half her hair was like that. The other half was in a buzz cut. Her makeup was bright blue eye shadow reaching her eyebrows,  and bright pink lipstick.

"You're really going to let her leave like that?" Jak asked, raising an eyebrow. Daxter sighed and hung his head.

"That's as good as you're gonna get, bub." Deliri bounded over to them, still trailing butterflies. 

"Do I look pretty!?" Roe smiled affectionately down at Deliri and nodded.

"You look very pretty, Del," Roe said. Deliri squealed happy, looked ready to burst into butterflies again, but quickly calmed herself. She didn't want to ruin her dress. "So who's car are we taking?" Jak smirked and grabbed up the keys to his Mercedes. 

"Mine."

*~*~*

Jak drove down the road at a swift pace, eager to hurry up and get to the party.  It wasn't the party he was looking forward to, but rather, he was getting sick of Roe and Daxter making out in the back seat. "Will you two bloody cut it out?!"

Deliri nodded, strapped in on the passenger's side of the car. "Cut it out! Cut it out!" She chanted, while playing with a glow-in-the-dark slinky.  It wasn't night time quite yet, but for some _odd_ reason, the slinky was glowing very brightly.

Daxter turned his attention to Jak. "You _really_ need to get a lay to loosen up, buddy.  My cousin knows a really hot chaos demon who would just _love_—"

"Finish that sentence and I swear to Praxis I will tell Deliri why steams comes out from under your bedroom door when Roe and you are in there."

Everyone except Jak stopped what they were doing.  Roe blushed a deep crimson and Daxter cursed quietly, removing his hands from around her waist. Deliri looked wide-eyed at Jak. "I thought you said they were playing twister!"

"Twister?" Daxter inquired, arching a brow.  Jak sweatdropped. "Um, well… you know… some of the positions and stuff…"

"You're a sick, sick man," Daxter replied, before shouting, "Oh! This is the place! BRAKE! BRAKE!"

Jak hit the brakes, screeching to a stop in front of a beautiful mansion with tall iron-wrought gates. "Next time, a little warning would be nice."

Just then, the passenger's airbag inflated.

"DELIRI!"

"I didn't do it!"

*~*~*

"**One** scratch and I will personally make you wish you'd never been born," Jak hissed evilly. And the bus boy knew he meant it. He then skittered off to park the car, terrified beyond all belief. Jak watched him go and smirked, laughing softly. He joined his friends on the steps leading to the manor. Daxter crossed his arm and lifted an eyebrow.

"You enjoy that entirely too much," he muttered. Jak just kept on smiling and walked through the massive gates. As they continued through the main entrance hall, other rich people gabbed on about their social lives, only stopping to stare at Deliri's wild outfit. There was a screech and Daxter, Roe, and Jak all whirled around. Someone had stepped on Deliri's floor length hair. And that caused it to turn **bright **green. Daxter's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he left go of Roe's arm to go help Deliri out. 

There was a moment of apology, a moment of forgiving, and a moment of Deliri turning the man's wine to bugs. Then, with a satisfied grin, Deliri waltzed away, leaving the rich man utterly horrified. 

"Did you really have to do that?" Daxter asked. He didn't seem amused at ALL. Deliri stopped and turned to Daxter. 

"I've seen you do much worse."

Jak rolled his eyes, quickly moving away from Daxter and Deliri. If he had to go to a party he was going to stay as far away from them as possible.  Daxter put his arm around Deliri's shoulders and directed her away from the crowd.  

The crowd returned to their chatter, but one man turned to his companion and inquired, "Funny, I do say that the longer side of her hair was on the left, not the right…"

Daxter sweatdropped. "Del! You switched your hair!"

"Oops…"

Jak watched from near the foods, picking up a glass of wine and taking a sip. He looked at Roe to see her waving Daxter over.  With his acute hearing, he could hear her excited voice from across the room. "Hurry! They're about to announce my friend's entrance!"

Jak turned his attention to the platform set up for someone to sing.  Roe had never mentioned this 'friend' before. He arched a brow as the lights began to dim. A man walked on stage and leaned into the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we have a very special treat for you. Please welcome song artist, Keira Hagai!"

To Be Continued…

*~*~*

**PC:** Wee! Second Chapter Written! No individual thanks since some of our reviews got deleted.  And to **Natasha**:  If you don't like it, don't read.  This fic is for our enjoyment, we're not writing for a grade, you know? Not trying to be mean but, really, c'mon! 

**DED:** Yeah, anyway, thanks for the other 10 or so reviewers who were pleased with the fic-ness. 

***DED** and **PC** burst into lots of fish and swim away from 'Bane's wrath.* Review!!!!!

~Past and Future ("Life is but a dream!")


End file.
